


Take A Breath (Before You Leap)

by Aprilup



Series: Space AU - Galactic Survey Corps [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Space!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:58:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aprilup/pseuds/Aprilup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off Space!AU headcannon by Towine. This is the story about Eren Yeager who joins the Galactic Survey Corps and is finally allocated one of the rumoured battle AI to fight against the Titans who threaten the safety of Earth.</p><p>Part I: Earn Your Wings (Before You Fly) - Eren finally joins.<br/>Part II: Take A Breath (Before You Leap) - A sad farewell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take A Breath (Before You Leap)

**Author's Note:**

> A (sort of) continuation of the SPACE AU "Earn Your Wings (Before You Fly)", set when Eren has already been allocated his AI and has become used to life as a solider.

"Eren."

It was bright and far too loud. 

Blinding, deafening, even with his arms shielding his face, Eren felt himself being pushed back bit by bit. His head was ringing, reminding him of the many times he had been knocked out during training, but he forced his trembling legs to stay strong. Arms heavy, the blades suddenly weighing a ton upon him, Eren felt each heartbeat pulse through his limbs as blood surging with adrenaline flowed. 

Then, a familiar, terrifying roar pierced the surroundings, echoing through his mind, his body, winding his tension past its maximum limit. 

"Eren!"

Dropping his arms in despair, he was enveloped by the light. It was a numb feeling that tingled at his fingertips, like a brief kiss from the wind attempting to convey feelings that would never be spoken.

 

"I . . ."

 

He stumbled, wildly grasping for something, anything, but he had lost his sense of direction, feet rooted against the shaking ground. 

"Eren, wake up!"

A loud thump, then pain exploded across the back of his head, limbs flailed wildly only to be met with the chill of sleek metal.

Green eyes fluttered open.

"Ugh . . . "

"Eren, are you alright?!"

Blinking away the blurry vision before him, Eren lifted a hand up to the bed to pull himself up from the icy floor. 

". . . I . . . ugh . . . What happened?"

The familiar beeps of machinery and the faint blue lights trailed up and down his body as he fell back onto his bed, blanket squished to the side. Running his hands across his face, wiping the last of sleep away, he muttered curses under his breath. 

 

_What kind of dream was that . . ._

 

Tapping the screen next to his bed, he confirmed his life signals with his now extremely agitated AI. Cracking one eye open, Eren watched as the AI fluttered around within the screen worriedly, fingers flying, taping out strings of code. 

"Oh, good, you're alright . . . No matter what I did, I couldn't wake you up . . ."

"Mmm . . ."

"It's weird, we're supposed to be completely linked . . . Perhaps the rates are higher during battle . . .But just in case-"

The blonde AI hit a side button and then slumped slightly, sighing in relief.

"I got someone to come over."

Both eyes flew open and Eren frowned at his AI.

"Really, Armin? I'm fine, just a bad dream and little tumbl-"

The doors whooshed open as a figure stepped into the room, a similar screen to Armin's floating next to him. 

"What the fuck, Jeager!"

The brunette shoved his blankets across his face, pouting childishly under the covers. 

 

_Really, Armin, out of all the people to call._

_I thought I said I was fine._

 

"Thanks, Marco."

Poking his head up from the blankets, Eren watched in disbelief as his Armin flashed a smile and a small wave towards the other freckled AI. The other AI nodded in reply, and gave a small smile to Jean, who just scratched his head in frustration.

"What did you do Jeager, you had your AI sending panic alerts all over the place!"

Lifting the blankets off his face, Eren glared at the other man.

"Nothing, alright, Armin just . . ."

"Are you telling me he malfunctioned?"

Eren stayed silent, wishing for Jean to just go away. Half of him wanted Armin to as well, so he could just get a moments peace to think. There was a slightly lower beep than normal and then Armin spoke.

"I'm sorry for the trouble, Jean Kirschtein. It seems that there was a little jump in my circuits for a moment. Please accept this apology."

"-Armin, what-"

Jean sighed heavily, yawning. 

"Hmm, alright, just be careful next time."

"Yes, I'm sorry for disturbing your rest."

Eren watched as Jean left the room, and then his eyes flickered over to where Armin hovered, eyes not meeting Eren's. There was a moment of silence, where neither human nor AI knew what was right to say or do. Eventually, Eren ran a tired hand through his hair and sighed. 

" . . . Armin-"

The AI jumped.

"You should get some rest Eren."

With a few quick codes, the lights turned off again and the room was plunged into darkness.

"Goodnight."

Eren sat on the bed for a moment longer surrounded by the pitch black. He waited for Armin to appear again so they could talk like they always did late into the night. But after a while, nothing happened and Eren gave up. 

Before he settled back down between his blankets, he reached out and felt his fingers come into contact with the perma-screen where all AI "slept" when they weren't working. Softly as he could, he stroked the top of the screen.

" . . . Goodnight."

 

*****

 

The next day was a blur of activities, with several Titans breaking through the first layer of the atmosphere. The battle continued for several days, which turned into several weeks as the sudden appearance of these Titans sparked interest among the researchers. Every day was early and busy, every night sleeping so deeply he never remembered his dreams, and this cycle continued. 

Since then, Eren had been working perfectly with Armin, however he couldn't deny that nagging feeling that things were still not right. 

Getting along with your AI was simple task, but to Eren, Armin was more than just a battle AI. He was a friend, a good friend, and even though he may just be several scripts of advanced software, Eren felt that they had become so close in several months. Almost as if they had knew each other for their whole lives or perhaps lives before this one. 

"Hey . . ."

"Hah? What is it?"

Jean continued to scrub himself while Eren stood still in thought under the steady stream of water. 

"About the AI . . ."

"What? You had a fight with yours?"

Eren shook his head.

"No, Armin is . . . I don't know."

The other man shrugged.

"So what's wrong?"

Carefully choosing his words for once, Eren hesitantly spoke.

"They're . . . so real."

"Yeah, no duh, they're real. They're the best program ever developed."

Eren shook his head, water dripping off his hair and running down his chest. He plunged his head directly under the water and let body be pummelled by the force of the water. His thoughts were confusing him. 

"They're . . ."

Leaning against one hand which was pressed up against the shower wall, Eren turned to Jean with a serious look. 

"They're so human."

" . . . What are you trying to say, Jeager?"

Eren's shower time hit the limit and it beeped twice before the warm water stopped, leaving Eren feeling vulnerable and cold.

"I don't know, Jean, I don't know . . ."

 

*****

 

**[ATTENTION: SHIP BREACHED]**

**[REPEAT, SHIP BREACHED]**

**[TIME UNTIL EXPECTED DESTRUCTION: _1 MINUTE 42 SECONDS_ ]**

**[WARNING: SHIP BREACHED]**

**[REPEAT, SHIP BREACHED]**

**[TIME UNTIL EXPECTED DESTRUCTION: 1 MINUTE 40 SECONDS]**

 

The words were fuzzy to Eren, who desperately tried to move his muscles, but everything felt so sluggish and tired. He couldn't hear anything for some reason despite the bright red danger lights and the frantic movements of Jean next to him, who occasionally turned and mouthed something at him.

Jean was . . . crying?

Looking around slowly, Eren noted the familiar flicker of his AI but he couldn't the other glow of the second AI, Jean's AI. Where did Marco go-

His eyes fell upon a broken screen on the floor, half of it had been broken off, probably when the ship had been hit. In Jean's hands, he held the other piece gently in his palms. Eren couldn't see his face clearly, but he was sure now that Jean was crying. 

How had this happened . . .

 

Is it going to end here?

 

_**" . . .ren . . ."** _

_What?_

_**" . . . Eren- . . ."** _

_Who . . . is it?_

_**" . . . Eren . . . It's me, Armin."** _

_Ar . . min?_

_**" . . . Eren, I need you to listen to me . . ."** _

_Alright . . ._

_**"Upload me to the command deck, I have a code I made that can hold off the explosion for a while."** _

_How do I . . ._

_**"Just say you give access for the system to take me on."** _

_What does that mean . . ._

_**"Doesn't matter! We need time and I'm going to make it. Make sure both you and Jean get into those escape pods, they're not jammed anymore."** _

_Alright . . ._

 

Eren licked his dry lips and coughed slightly, the ringing of the breach alarms increasing and pounding in his head. 

"I . . . give access for head system to take on my AI, Armin Artlet . . ."

A system fizzled and popped for a second, scaring Eren. What if it was too late and everything was already destroyed? But then it roared back to life, panels lighting up with the same familiar face. 

"Now move, Eren!"

WIth shaking limbs, Eren stood, swaying slightly and pulled the similarly limp Jean up with him. The piece from the perma-screen slipped through Jean's fingers and clattered on the ground. He immediately made a move for it, but Eren prevented him, continuing to haul them towards the escape capsules. 

With burning lungs (the air vents had been pierced too, Eren realised), he strapped Jean into one and then collapsed sideways into his own pod.

"Uffff . . ."

The lid automatically slid closed and began purifying the air.

 

_Armin . . ._

_Armin, where are you?_

_Come back, we're in the pods now, they're going to be released soon._

_Come on, let's go . . ._

_**" . . .Eren."** _

 

Through the small glass area at the top, Eren looked out at the ruined ship, fire had broken out over several areas, burning and destroying the technology. He could still see the blonde glow of his AI through the last working screen, working and tapping away.

 

_**"Eren, I'm sorry."** _

_What do you mean . . ._

_**"This ship will explode now unless I keep the oxygen levels lower."** _

_Then do it . . . and let's go . . ._

_**" . . . You have to leave now."** _

_What are you saying Armin?! We can't go without you, I can't . . ._

 

Bright blue eyes turned towards Eren, piercing through the glass and reaching deep within him. Eren swore he could see the edges of Armin's eyes watering, but was impossible because . . . AI couldn't have such emotions. 

 

_**"I'm sorry . . . "** _

 

The escape hatch opened, released the first pod, which was Jean, out into space in hopes that that the rest of the fleet would pick up the bright green emergency stripe around it. 

Eren felt his pod being shifted into position and desperately, he pounded against the casing.

"No!"

 

**_"Eren, please, do it for me . . ."_ **

 

"Whatever, I'm not leaving you!"

 

_**" . . . You have to."** _

 

The last lock was opened with a click and in one smooth movement, Eren felt himself being propelled up and out together with the pod. 

 

"Armin, no-!!"

 

**_" . . . Goodbye, Eren."_ **

 

The last thing Eren remembered before the darkness of space claimed him was the fiery flames of the ship as it exploded, sending parts flying everywhere. 

And blue eyes, such a natural shade of blue, which reflected the sea, the Earth's oceans. 

_Armin . . ._

_I . . ._

 

*****

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on Tumblr?  
> (http://shigaa.tumblr.com/)


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